Participants: Carlton P. Byrd
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000559A
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00:01 BREATH OF LIFE MINISTRIES B559 Baptism
00:07 [BRETH OF LIFE THEME MUSIC] 00:20 PB: Father, we ask now that You would be with us. 00:22 Lord, we knock the devil out of this place tonight 00:25 because we want to be able to be receptive to Your Word. 00:28 So God, give us open minds, receptive hearts, 00:31 and may we follow the leadings and promptings of 00:34 Your Spirit. God, we need You, so come by here tonight. 00:38 And we know that You're going to bless us. 00:40 So for everyone that's in this place tonight, 00:43 everyone who's listening tonight and view us, 00:47 and with the Word that only You can give, 00:49 and we be careful to give You the praise, 00:51 the honor and the glory. In the name of 00:52 Jesus we pray. Let everyone say amen. Aud.: Amen. 00:55 PB: And amen. Amen. Amen. Tonight I'm going 01:00 to talk to you about baptism. 01:01 Everybody say "baptism." Aud.: Baptism. 01:03 PB: Now there are many different forms 01:05 of baptism in our world today: immersion, 01:12 you go under the water; sprinkling, 01:16 when someone sprinkles water on you; 01:20 being anointed with oil; the Holy Spirit 01:26 in your life and you just say you've 01:29 been baptized with the Holy Ghost; infusion, 01:33 which is like taking a pitcher and having 01:36 water poured on you; and then there's 01:39 even a method out there called the dry 01:42 cleaning method, where the preacher just 01:46 pronounces and says "you're baptized." 01:49 "You're baptized." No water, no sprinkling, 01:52 no nothing, just "you're baptized." 01:54 Now, this is very interesting that this 01:57 is a method, but then I'm reminded that 01:59 for everything God has as true, 02:02 the devil has as counterfeit. 02:05 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 02:07 For everything God has as right, 02:09 the devil has as wrong. So even with baptism, 02:15 where God intended for it to be a good thing, 02:19 the devil will take it and make it a bad thing. 02:23 But what tonight does the Word of God say 02:27 about baptism, because if it ain't in the Word, 02:31 it doesn't deserve to be heard. 02:33 Ephesians 4:5, the Apostle Paul makes it 02:37 clear that there is one Lord, one faith, 02:41 and one baptism. One Lord, one faith, 02:47 and one type of baptism, which means God 02:51 only recognizes one form of baptism. 02:56 God only recognizes one form. 02:58 It's not immersion and sprinkling and 03:01 dry cleaning and anointing and the pronouncement 03:04 of the Holy Ghost, but it's one form of Bible baptism. 03:09 A story is told in the early days of missions 03:13 in Korea that a page or two of the gospel story 03:17 found its way up into a remote mountain village. 03:22 The people up in this remote area read the 03:26 gospel story of Jesus, and after spreading 03:29 the gospel story of Jesus they believed and 03:32 accepted the message. They established a 03:36 church there in the remote area, and they 03:38 hoped that in the future perhaps that somebody 03:41 else would come to them a little later, 03:44 for they knew only what the few meager pages 03:47 that they found contained. But as they were 03:50 able to understand, they fulfilled the conditions 03:55 of the gospel until it came to baptism. 04:00 They couldn't fulfill the requirements of the 04:03 gospel for baptism because they didn't know how 04:07 baptism should be done. So what they did was, 04:11 they talked it over and after much prayer and 04:15 discussion they decided they all needed to go home, 04:20 and they took a private personal bath in the name 04:25 of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. 04:30 They didn't know much about baptism or how baptism 04:35 should be done, but they did their best to 04:39 unite themselves with Jesus, in the best 04:42 form of baptism that they knew. Well tonight, 04:46 we don't have to worry about that because 04:48 the Bible gives us the form of baptism 04:52 according to God. And when you know better, 04:55 you've got to do better. Baptism comes 05:00 from the Greek root word "baptizo." 05:03 Everybody say "baptizo." Aud.: Baptizo. 05:05 PB: Baptizo means to dip, submerge, 05:08 immerse, which then makes baptism by immersion 05:11 the only acceptable, biblical form of Baptism. 05:16 Therefore any other form, whether it's sprinkling, 05:18 infusion, or just the Holy Spirit in one's life, 05:23 they are not condoned from the Bible. 05:26 Now, when we talk about baptism, it's 05:27 very clear that Jesus is also our perfect 05:31 example when it comes to baptism. Whatever 05:35 form of baptism we need or need to follow, 05:38 Jesus has already given us the example. 05:42 Just like He's the example in the Sabbath, 05:45 the Bible says in Luke chapter 4, 05:47 it was his custom on the Sabbath day to 05:49 go and read the Scriptures in church. 05:50 Jesus has given us the example from the 05:53 Bible on baptism. Take your Bibles; 05:56 let's go to work. And let's go to the 05:58 book of Mark, and we're going to Mark chapter 1, 06:00 and we're going to verse number 9. Mark chapter 1, 06:04 and we're going to verse number 9. 06:07 And the Word of God says to us tonight 06:09 in Mark chapter 1, verse number 9: 06:12 "And it came to pass in those days, 06:14 that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, 06:17 and was baptized of John in Jordan." 06:20 And the Bible says in verse number 10, 06:22 "Straightway coming up out of the water, 06:26 he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit 06:30 like a dove descending upon him: 06:33 And there came a voice from heaven, 06:35 saying, Thou art my beloved"--what, everybody? 06:37 Aud.: Son. PB: "In whom I am well"--what? 06:39 Aud.: Pleased. PB: Now, I like this 06:41 text for many reasons. Number one, 06:43 I like it because this text lets us know 06:46 that God, the Godhead, the Trinity, 06:49 they are all working to bring about our salvation. 06:51 It was Jesus, God the Son, who was actually baptized. 06:57 It was God the Father who said "Thou art my beloved 07:01 Son in whom I am well pleased," and then it was God 07:04 the Holy Spirit who descended in the form of a dove. 07:09 But I also like this text, because this text removes 07:12 all doubt about the right form of baptism. What do I mean? 07:17 The Bible says in verse 10 that Jesus came straightway 07:20 up out of the water. After He was baptized, 07:23 He came up out of the water, which means He 07:26 wasn't sprinkled on. Water was not just merely 07:30 poured on Him. The Bible is very clear that 07:33 nobody just pronounced Him baptized, or that He 07:36 was merely just baptized in the Spirit. But the 07:39 Bible says that Jesus came straightway up out 07:42 of the water. Now, this is important, because 07:48 the devil if he can will seek to deceive us on baptism. 07:52 The story is told of a minister, 07:54 who was giving a sermon on baptism, 07:55 and in the course of the sermon he was 07:57 just preaching, preaching. But he was 07:58 incorrectly preaching. He was incorrectly 08:02 illustrating the fact that baptism should 08:04 take place by sprinkling and not immersion. 08:08 He was just preaching and preaching and preaching, 08:11 and nothing he was saying was rooted in the 08:13 Word of God. That's why to the law and to 08:15 the testimony, if somebody does not speak 08:18 according to this Word, it is because there 08:20 is no light in them. The man was wrong and strong. 08:24 But to prove his wrong point, he began to point 08:28 out other instances incorrectly in the Bible. 08:32 He said that when John the Baptist baptized 08:36 Jesus in the Jordan River, it didn't mean 08:39 in the river, but it meant close, 'round about, 08:45 or nearby the river. The man went on to preach 08:50 and said that when Philip baptized the unit 08:53 in the river, it didn't mean in the river, 08:56 but it meant close to the river, 'round about 09:00 the river, or nearby the river. 09:03 After church that day, a man came up to the preacher 09:07 and said, Man, that was a good sermon. That's one 09:10 of the best sermons I've ever heard in my life, 09:13 because in your sermon you cleared up many of 09:15 the great mysteries that I had encountered in 09:18 the Bible. He said, for example, the story about 09:21 Jonah getting swallowed by the great fish, 09:23 it always bothered me. But after listening to you, 09:26 now I know that Jonah wasn't really in the fish, 09:30 but he was close to the fish, 'round about the fish, 09:37 or nearby the fish swimming in the water. But you 09:41 also cleared up for me about the three Hebrew 09:44 boys who were thrown into the fiery furnace. 09:47 Because now I know, after your sermon they 09:49 were not burned. Now I really see, they were 09:52 not really in the fire, they were just close 09:56 to the fire; 'round about the fire, nearby the fire. 10:02 But he said, Preacher man, the hardest story I 10:05 ever listened to in our life I now understand, 10:07 is the story of Daniel getting thrown in the lions' den. 10:12 But now I see Daniel wasn't really in the Lions' den, 10:16 but he was close to the lions' den, 'round 10:20 about the lions' den, or nearby the lions' den. 10:25 The man said, "You have really revealed these 10:27 mysteries to me because I am a wicked man. 10:31 Now, however, I'm grateful and I'm happy and 10:35 I'm thrilled to know that I won't be in hell-- 10:38 [Aud. reaction] PB: --but I'll be close to hell-- 10:43 [Aud. reaction] PB: --'round about hell, 10:46 or nearby hell. And guess what, preacher?" 10:49 Preacher said, "What," getting concerned. 10:51 "And next week, I won't have to be in church-- 10:54 [Aud. reaction] PB: --I'll just have to be 10:56 'round church, close to church, or nearby church. " 11:03 Some people and wrong and strong, that's why 11:08 you've got to know the Word of God for yourself. 11:11 [Aud. reaction] PB: The Bible teaches baptism 11:15 by immersion. Baptism by what, everybody? 11:17 Aud.: Immersion. PB: It teaches baptism by 11:19 immersion because of the symbolism involved. 11:22 What are you saying? Understand, baptism 11:25 commemorates the death, the burial, 11:28 and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 11:31 Go with me to the book of Romans. What book, everybody? 11:34 Aud.: Romans. PB: Romans. Romans chapter 6, 11:36 and let's go to Roman's chapter 6. Baptism commemorates 11:39 the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 11:41 The Word of God says, "What shall we say then? Shall 11:44 we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. 11:48 How shall we, that are dead to sin, 11:50 live any longer therein? Know ye not, 11:52 that so many of us as were baptized into 11:54 Jesus Christ were baptized into his"--what, everybody? 11:57 Aud.: Death. PB: His death. "Therefore we are 12:00 buried with him by baptism into death: 12:03 that like as Christ was raised up from 12:05 the dead by the glory of the Father, 12:06 even so we also should walk in newness 12:08 of life. For if we have been planted 12:10 together in the likeness of his death, 12:11 we shall be also in the likeness of his 12:13 resurrection: Knowing this, that our 12:15 old man is crucified with him, 12:16 that the body of sin might be destroyed, 12:19 that henceforth we should not serve what, everybody? 12:22 Aud.: Sin. PB: Sin. Baptism commemorates the death, 12:28 the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 12:33 Some people over the years have thought that Sunday, 12:37 because that's the day Jesus rose, should be 12:41 a day of worship because Jesus rose on that day. 12:45 But remember, the Sabbath was never changed. 12:49 The Sabbath couldn't be changed, and the Sabbath 12:52 is not contingent upon Calvary. The Sabbath 12:56 couldn't have been done away with at Calvary, 12:58 because the only reason remember Jesus went 12:59 to Calvary is because man sinned. If man had 13:03 never sinned, Jesus would have never had 13:05 to go to Calvary. The fact is God created 13:08 this earth in Genesis 1. In Genesis 2, 13:11 He instituted the Sabbath, and in Genesis 3, 13:15 Adam and Eve sinned. God gave us the 13:18 Sabbath before Adam and Eve sinned, 13:20 so then the Sabbath isn't contingent 13:22 on the cross because the cross is based 13:24 on forgiving us of sin, and the Sabbath 13:27 was in place before sin. [Aud. reaction] 13:31 PB: Baptism commemorates the death, the burial, 13:37 and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Why? 13:40 Because the baptism is symbolic of what's 13:44 taking place in somebody's life. When a person 13:48 goes down under the water, your sins 13:51 symbolically are dead. Your sins are not 13:55 only dead, but your sins become buried. 13:57 Then when you come up out of the water, 14:00 symbolically you are resurrected into a 14:03 new life in Jesus Christ. Are you hearing 14:06 what I'm saying? Your sins are dead, 14:09 your sins are buried, and you are resurrected 14:11 as a new individual. You are a new man. 14:15 You are a new woman. Are you hearing 14:17 what I'm saying? And what I love about Jesus is, 14:20 after your sins are dead, after your sins 14:22 are buried, after you are up and resurrected 14:25 into a new life in Jesus Christ, 14:27 Jesus lets the devil know leave him alone. 14:30 Leave her alone. They've been washed in 14:33 the blood of the Lamb. And Jesus puts a 14:36 sign out by the water that says "Devin, 14:38 no fishing allowed!" Baptism signifies 14:43 a U-turn; an about-face; a new direction; 14:47 a deliberate turning away from the old you. 14:50 It's no more I, but the You, Christ, 14:53 that lives inside. It means submission. 14:56 It means you have a new boss. It means 14:59 you're surrendering. It means you're turning 15:01 it over to Jesus. You're letting God rule your life. 15:05 God is in control. That God is creator, 15:09 we are creation. God is the landlord, 15:12 we are the tenants. God is the employer, 15:14 we are the employee. God is the shepherd, 15:17 we are the sheep. We're in submission to Him, 15:20 His Word, His will, His way. I'll say yes, Lord, yes-- 15:25 [Aud. reaction] PB: --to Your will and to your way. 15:28 Understand, we know that water is for washing. 15:32 I pray you wash your body, come on, say amen. 15:36 'Cause we don't need to just be spiritually clean, 15:38 but we need to be physically clean, too. 15:40 Do I have a witness in this place? Whether 15:44 you like it or not, we are all sinners. 15:47 I said everybody is a sinner. All have sinned 15:51 and come short of the glory of God. 15:54 Everybody is a sinner. All of us need washing. 15:59 All of us need cleansing. We don't like to talk 16:03 about it in the church, but we're all dirty 16:05 and we all need to be washed. We get baptized, 16:08 our kids get baptized, because we want 16:11 our sins washed away. Baptism is an outward 16:15 symbol of inward cleansing. Baptism means 16:18 something's going on on the inside. 16:20 Baptism is saying I'm letting God be 16:24 number One in my life. A little boy asked 16:27 a preacher, "When can I get advertised?" 16:30 The preacher said, "Advertised?" 16:34 "Yeah, when can I get advertised?" 16:36 Barely talking, the preacher didn't 16:38 understand what he was saying. 16:39 The young man was trying to say 16:40 "When can I get baptized?" You see, 16:44 when you're baptized, you're advertisement 16:47 for the King. You're a child of the Most High God. 16:52 You're a follower of Christ. 16:55 You're an heir of salvation, purchase of God. 17:01 Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. 17:06 But not only that, baptism is a gift. 17:09 It's a what, everybody? Aud.: Gift. 17:11 PB: It's not something we do for ourselves, 17:13 like being born. None of us asked to be born. 17:15 Birth was a gift. So is baptism. It's God's 17:20 gift to us. Baptism is a gift into a new body. 17:25 Into a new community, a new church. 17:28 Baptism is a new birth into a royal priesthood. 17:33 It means I'm a new man. I'm not the man I 17:35 used to be. It means you're a new man. 17:39 You're not the man you used to be. 17:40 You're a new woman. You're not the woman 17:41 you used to be. If any man be in Christ, 17:45 he's a new creature. Old things are passed away. 17:49 All things become new. What can wash away my sin? 17:52 Nothing but the blood of Jesus! What can make me 17:56 whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. 18:00 [Aud. reaction] PB: Now, we talked about what 18:04 baptism is and what it does, but what has to happen 18:07 before one is baptized? Because you can't be a 18:13 dry devil, just become not a wet devil. 18:15 Are you hearing what I'm saying? What happens 18:18 before one is baptized? Well, step number one 18:23 comes to us from the book of Matthew. What book, everybody? 18:26 Aud.: Matthew. PB: Matthew chapter 28. 18:29 Matthew chapter 28, and we're going to 18:32 Matthew chapter 28, and I want you if you 18:35 will to go to verse number 18. Matthew chapter 28, 18:40 verse number 18. The Word of God is clear to us 18:45 tonight in Matthew chapter 28, verse number 18. 18:49 "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, 18:51 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." 18:58 I could preach all day right there. [Aud. reaction] 19:00 PB: "All power is given unto me in heaven and 19:06 in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, 19:11 baptizing them in the name of the Father, 19:13 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 19:17 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever 19:19 I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, 19:21 even unto the end of the world. Amen." 19:25 Before one is baptized, one must first 19:29 be taught. They must be what, everybody? 19:31 Aud.: Taught. B: And I see in our world today, 19:33 there's not much teaching going on in the Word of God. 19:37 Yes, we come and yes, we get inspired. 19:40 Yes, we get excited, but it's my baptized 19:43 brain that makes me want to shout. 19:45 It's my cerebral cerebellum that makes me 19:48 say hallelujah, glory to the Lord. 19:51 Glory to the Lamb of God. I've got to know 19:54 something from the Word. Search the Scriptures, 19:57 for in them they testify of Me. The people 20:00 of God need to be taught. There's a famine 20:03 in the land, it's not for bread and water 20:06 but it's for the Word of God. Know what you believe, 20:10 know why you believe it, know where it's found. 20:13 If you know the Word of God, you know that when 20:16 all this trouble comes up against us, 20:19 when Satan comes in like a flood, 20:21 God will lift up a standard against 20:24 him when you know the Word of God. 20:26 The people of God need to be taught! 20:29 [Aud. reaction] PB: Step number one: 20:35 you must be taught. You must be what, everybody? 20:38 Aud.: Taught. PB: So then step number two. 20:41 Go to the book of Mark, chapter 16, verse number 16. 20:51 The Word of God says in Mark chapter 16, verse 16, 20:56 "Ye that believeth and is baptized shall 21:01 be"--what, everybody? Aud.: Saved. 21:03 PB: Saved. "But he that believeth not 21:05 shall be damned." After one is taught, 21:10 one must then believe. When one believes 21:17 and is baptized, then the Bible says 21:20 they are saved. They are what, everybody? 21:22 Aud.: Saved. PB: When one doesn't believe, 21:26 they are, the Bible says, damned. Step number two: 21:32 one must believe. After you are taught, 21:38 you must then what, everybody? Aud.: Believe. 21:40 PB: Then number three. Acts chapter 2, verse 38. 21:46 Acts chapter 2, verse number 38. 21:53 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, 21:56 and be baptized every one of you in 22:00 the name of Jesus"--whom, everybody? Aud.: Christ. 22:03 PB: "For the remission of sins, 22:05 and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." 22:09 What are we saying here? Step number three: 22:12 you must repent. Number one, you've been taught. 22:18 Number two, you believe. Number three, 22:23 you must repent. You must turn it a'round. 22:27 You must change. You must surrender. 22:31 You must repent. Yes, I know what baptism does. 22:36 Yes, it cleanses me from sin. Yes, 22:40 baptism is a gift. Yes, it is a symbol 22:44 of what's going on on the inside, 22:46 but before I'm baptized I've got to be taught. 22:49 I then must repent, and then I must--I must believe, 22:54 rather--and then I must repent. 22:56 In light of all of this, this is why infants 23:00 shouldn't be baptized. Babies shouldn't be baptized. 23:06 But Pastor Byrd, it's cute. It's nice. 23:10 But it's not in the Word of God. 23:13 And if it isn't in the Word, it doesn't 23:15 deserve to be heard. One must be taught, 23:19 one must believe, one must repent. 23:22 The Bible says in James 4:17, "Therefore to 23:27 him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, 23:30 to him it is sin." A baby doesn't know about sin. 23:34 Nowhere in the Bible is there support for infant baptism. 23:40 It's not in there, but that's another ploy of Satan. 23:44 That's another ploy of the devil. Infant baptism. 23:48 But who told you that? Jesus never baptized 23:51 anybody in Scripture. The prophets, 23:53 the disciples, never baptized anybody 23:56 in Scripture. It's not rooted in the Word of God. 24:00 You must be taught, you must believe, 24:04 and you must repent. Understanding that 24:08 sin cannot be counted against a child until 24:11 he or she, the baby, is old enough to be accountable. 24:15 A baby is not accountable. That's why parents, 24:18 we've got to live right, because they're 24:20 watching us. We are their example. 24:23 Are you hearing what I'm saying? [Aud. reaction] 24:25 PB: But let me be clear. A child who knows 24:29 right from wrong, a child who understands can 24:35 be held accountable, and they, if they, 24:38 if they give their heart to Jesus Christ, 24:42 ought to be baptized. Many times we hold 24:44 children back, we hold young people back 24:46 from being baptized. They're not ready, 24:50 they're not--none of us are ready! 24:54 All of us are as sheep gone to the slaughter. 24:56 But understand, if you've been taught, 24:58 you believe, repent, it's time to be baptized. 25:01 A child old enough to be lost is a child 25:05 old enough to be saved. [Aud. reaction] 25:09 PB: But the devil's clever. The devil is cunning. 25:12 The devil is sneaky. The devil is deceptive. 25:17 Because if the devil can deceive you on the 25:20 Second Coming, if the devil can deceive you 25:23 on the millennium, if the devil can deceive 25:25 you on the state of the dead, if the devil 25:27 can deceive you on the Sabbath, then surely 25:30 the devil can deceive you on baptism. 25:33 Be it the kind or form of baptism, 25:36 or infant baptism. But I hear the 25:40 Apostle Paul saying, Be not deceived. 25:43 God is not mocked. Whatsoever man soweth, 25:48 that shall he also reap. Are you hearing 25:52 what I'm saying? [Aud. reaction] 25:53 PB: So we know the form of baptism 25:55 is baptism by immersion. Baptism by what, everybody? 25:58 Aud.: Immersion. PB: Come on, 25:59 baptism by what, everybody? Aud.: 26:01 Immersion. PB: Because baptism by 26:02 immersion means your sins are dead, 26:04 buried, and you are resurrected into 26:05 a new life in Jesus Christ. Baptism 26:08 is an outward symbol of inward cleansing. 26:10 Baptism is a gift. There are three steps 26:13 in order for one to be baptized: you must 26:15 be taught, you must believe, and number three, 26:17 you must do what, everybody? Aud.: Repent. 26:19 PB: Repent. Someone says, Pastor, 26:22 I've been baptized before. Is rebaptism, 26:27 being baptized again, is it ever proper? 26:35 I mean, I've been baptized before but, 26:39 is it okay, is it right to be baptized again? 26:45 Don't take my word for it, let's take God's Word. 26:50 Go with me to the book of Acts, and we're 26:55 going to chapter 19. Acts chapter 19, 27:00 and let's go to verse number 1. 27:03 New Testament, now. Is rebaptism 27:07 ever proper? Acts 19, verse number 1. 27:14 The Word of God says--if you have it, 27:18 let me hear you say amen. Aud.: Amen. 27:20 PB: The Word says, "And it came to pass, 27:23 that, while Apollos was at Corinth, 27:26 Paul having passed through the upper 27:28 coasts came to Ephesus: and finding 27:30 certain disciples, He said unto them, 27:33 Have ye received the Holy Ghost since 27:37 ye believed? And they said unto him, 27:40 We have not so much as heard whether 27:43 there be any Holy Ghost. 27:46 and he said unto them unto what then 27:49 were ye batized? And they said unto 27:53 John's baptism. Then said Paul, John 27:59 verily baptized unto the baptism of 28:01 repentence. Saying unto the people 28:02 that they should beleive on Him who 28:04 should come after him. That is on 28:08 Christ Jesus. Verse 5. When they heard 28:12 this they were baptized... 28:15 >: Thank you for joining us for another exciting 28:18 Breath of Life television broadcast. 28:20 Tune in next week at the same time, 28:22 as Dr. Byrd will deliver another 28:24 dynamic message from the Lord, 28:26 just for you. Until next time, 28:28 may God bless you. [END] |
Revised 2017-05-18